Define a 'Seizure' as you understand it
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Define a 'Seizure' as you understand it
HI there, a friend informed me that another one of our friends today had a 'Seizure' and is now in intensive care, in hospital!
Being no professional in Med., I'm curious to know more about what they are. Are there different types? What causes them? And what happens to the subject of a seizure? My friend hasn't had any history of seizures and doesn't suffer from Epilepsy.
Cheers
WWA
Being no professional in Med., I'm curious to know more about what they are. Are there different types? What causes them? And what happens to the subject of a seizure? My friend hasn't had any history of seizures and doesn't suffer from Epilepsy.
Cheers
WWA
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There are several different types. They can be caused by fever (common in infants), certain medications and, of course, epilepsy. With epilepsy, you can have petit or grand mal-grand mal is the bad one. Even worse if the patient has what is known as status epilipticus which is essentially back-to-back-to-back grand mal seizures.
As to effects, they vary from patient to patient and as to what type or cause. With infants, it's usually hardly noticable-they tend to raise their arms, bring them up to their shoulders and twitch a little- with no lasting effect. Medication induced seizures are similar to epilepsy-depends on the severity. However, effects range from some minor confusion and fatigue with possibly some muscle aches to major confusion, loss of memory, etc.
During the seizure, you might also see the patients lips turn blueish...it's not to worry about-caused by the increased blood flow to the brain due to the increased electrical activity. NEVER place anything in a persons mouth that is having a seizure BTW-simply protect their head from injury (i.e. falling) and turn their head to the side to prevent possible choking.
Hope this helps a little and I hope that your friend will be ok.
As to effects, they vary from patient to patient and as to what type or cause. With infants, it's usually hardly noticable-they tend to raise their arms, bring them up to their shoulders and twitch a little- with no lasting effect. Medication induced seizures are similar to epilepsy-depends on the severity. However, effects range from some minor confusion and fatigue with possibly some muscle aches to major confusion, loss of memory, etc.
During the seizure, you might also see the patients lips turn blueish...it's not to worry about-caused by the increased blood flow to the brain due to the increased electrical activity. NEVER place anything in a persons mouth that is having a seizure BTW-simply protect their head from injury (i.e. falling) and turn their head to the side to prevent possible choking.
Hope this helps a little and I hope that your friend will be ok.
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Cheers
Thanks for your wise words mate. You seem to have a good knowledge on the disease/symptoms.
I may be led to beleive that my friend had the seizure due to some medication they were taking. Any more to add? WWA
I may be led to beleive that my friend had the seizure due to some medication they were taking. Any more to add? WWA
Está servira para distraerle.
There are, of course, many reasons for a seizure in adults.
Your friend might want to have an EEG and a brain wave scan.
If your friend is a flyer he will possibly have to inform the CAA of his misfortune and also the DVLA. The DVLA has quite a good medical information section which you can access on the internet. I suspect that he may find himself off driving for a year.
I believe that some medications can cause a fit, and also, giving up the sauce, after some time 'on' the stuff, can also produce a fit grand mal or petit mal. The grand mal is, I think rather the more serious of the two types and may be characterized by unconsciousness, tongue biting, incontinence and general confusion upon waking.
I think that you will find that there is much information on the net.
Two of my friends hve recentl had such an experience. In one case the seizure was due to stress and overwork. In the other, the cause was rather more serious. The first has returned to an absolutely normal life after a period of medication. The second is on his way to recovery.
I should add that this information comes from layman, not a medical practitioner of any sort.
With best wishes for his speedy recovery.
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Seizures can be caused by a large number of things. Old head injuries, medical conditions including epilepsy, diabetes, CVA (stroke), heat stroke, drug overdose, tumour...ect. One of our first checks after a seizure is blood sugar. In our scales normal ranges are between 4 and 7 as diagnosed by a glucometer. Next we go into personal history to accertain whether the patient has high blood pressure or the obvious, epilepsy, diabetes.... generally trying to rule out causes. The real diagnostics are done at the hospital. The fact that your friend is in intensive care has me wondering what they found as rarely are they sent to intensive care.
I hope that your friend fully recovers and has no long lasting effects.
I hope that your friend fully recovers and has no long lasting effects.
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WWA-quite welcome...glad I could assist you here.
As to adding more regarding the medications, really can't add much there without knowing your friends medical history. There are MANY medications that are known to be capable of causing seizures and other med's that can due to the patients having a hypersensitivity to it. It's also possible for a medication to interact with another and cause problems, or even a medication interacting with FOOD causing seizures.
Is your friend on more than one medication regularly-including over the counter? Are they taking any herbal remedies?
Afraid I don't have enough info to add more. I do indeed though hope that your friend will be alright!
BTW-ALWAYS inform your doctor if you are taking ANY herbal product, vitamins and ALL medications you are currently taking or have taken in the prior 2-3 weeks. This will help the doc make an informed decision regarding prescribing and at least reduce the possibility of a bad reaction.
As to adding more regarding the medications, really can't add much there without knowing your friends medical history. There are MANY medications that are known to be capable of causing seizures and other med's that can due to the patients having a hypersensitivity to it. It's also possible for a medication to interact with another and cause problems, or even a medication interacting with FOOD causing seizures.
Is your friend on more than one medication regularly-including over the counter? Are they taking any herbal remedies?
Afraid I don't have enough info to add more. I do indeed though hope that your friend will be alright!
BTW-ALWAYS inform your doctor if you are taking ANY herbal product, vitamins and ALL medications you are currently taking or have taken in the prior 2-3 weeks. This will help the doc make an informed decision regarding prescribing and at least reduce the possibility of a bad reaction.
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cheers guys. she's actually a chick I'm in hot pursuit of... but she was actually let out of hospital and we all had a great dinner for her birthday last night. Glad she didn't spend her B'day in hospital.
but she was actually let out of hospital and we all had a great dinner for her birthday last night. Glad she didn't spend her B'day in hospital.
